


Knowledge Is Power

by Llama1412



Series: King and Country [3]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Politics, Spies & Secret Agents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 21:08:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29232051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Llama1412/pseuds/Llama1412
Summary: When word spreads about a peasant uprising in Aedirn led by an alleged dragonslayer and her mage, Philippa Eilhart, Sigismund Dijkstra takes a sudden interest in undermining their resistance however possible. Unfortunately, there's one factor he missed in his calculations.
Relationships: Philippa Eilhart & Saskia, Sigismund Dijkstra & Philippa Eilhart
Series: King and Country [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2146260
Comments: 4
Kudos: 16





	Knowledge Is Power

**Author's Note:**

> I was writing the Foltest POV bit and when talking about Roche's betrayal, I had the sudden thought that Dijkstra would find that fucking hilarious. So uh... have a Dijkstra fic.

Dijkstra made it his business to know other people’s business. Not only was it good for reasons of state, but it satisfied something deep inside him. Knowledge was power, after all, and he may have been lowborn, but with the right information, he could be more powerful than any king.

So when information drifted across his desk that his old ‘friend’ Philippa Eilhart was supporting a nonsense peasant uprising in the Pontar Valley… well. The Pontar Valley was valuable – dense in resources, but also diverse in its offerings. That Dijkstra should bring a plan to claim it before his king was only sensible.

Once upon a time, Redania’s crown had rested on the head of one who was worthy of it. King Vizimir would’ve seen the sense in acquiring those resources for himself, would’ve seen the  _ potential _ of what they could build using those resources. 

Considering what Dijkstra had discovered about those behind King Vizimir’s assassination, Vizimir would’ve agreed with pursuing those resources just to thumb his nose at Philippa too.

Radovid, on the other hand. Radovid was an uppity brat who thought that royal blood was all it took to make a ruler. Radovid would rather start a witchhunt, sewing dissent amongst the populace and ruining all of Dijkstra and Vizimir’s hard work in creating a strong workforce.

Dijkstra grumbled to himself in the privacy of his own office. Radovid had forbid him from getting involved in the Pontar Valley? What was he, some sort of sniveling child, only able to do as he told? No! He was Sigismund Dijkstra and he led the best damn intelligence network on the continent! If Radovid wanted to waste that, it just showed what a witless fool he was.

All the power in the world was useless if you couldn’t utilize it efficiently, and Dijkstra had always known how to get things done. 

This time, he was looking forward to seeing how Philippa used her peasant queen’s power to get things done. After all, undermining someone was so much more satisfying when you let them have a glimpse of what  _ could _ be, right before you pulled the rug out from under them.

Dijkstra had a rug with Philippa’s name on it and he would enjoy the moment of reveal.

* * *

Someone was eliminating Dijkstra’s spies and he was  _ not _ happy about it. Firstly, one should never be wasteful with their resources and he may have a large supply of spies to pull from, but he did not spend their lives lightly. Secondly, as a result of his dead spies, all of his information about the uprising in the Pontar Valley had ground to a halt. Thirdly and most frustratingly, he didn’t know  _ why.  _

Sure, Philippa was good, but she wasn’t  _ that _ good. She was far too confident in her magic to pay attention to the little details, like which of the peasant queen’s servants had family that could be threatened.

Nonetheless,  _ someone _ was rooting out his spy network, and Dijkstra had no idea  _ who.  _ Who had this peasant queen who claimed to be a dragonslayer found and  _ why didn’t he know them!? _

He snarled in frustration, combing through the reports he  _ did _ have again. There had to be some clue, some hint he was missing. Wannabe queens didn’t just  _ find _ the type of person who could root out spies quickly, efficiently, and quietly. There had to be something more at play here.

* * *

If Vizimir was out there somewhere watching his son fuck up their country, then he was probably also laughing his ass off at Dijkstra right about now. Because Dijkstra had  _ never _ seen this coming. It hadn’t even entered his wildest predictions.

As it turned out, the dragonslayer  _ had _ just happened to find the right person. But that person wasn’t a nobody, not to someone like Dijkstra who knew the ins and outs of everyone’s secrets. 

That’s what startled Dijkstra the most, really. Because he  _ did _ know Vernon Roche and he  _ never _ would’ve considered the idea that Roche might betray Temeria. But boy did he.

The first burst of laughter caught Dijkstra off guard, a surprised titter of amusement. But as he continued to think about it, he let the laughter develop into a true cackle.

Yes, Dijkstra had been outplayed and he hated that. But  _ everyone _ had been outplayed, as it turned out, and the ultimate loser here was King Foltest of Temeria. Because Dijkstra had seen Roche around Foltest, and that man worshipped the very ground his king walked on. Now Dijkstra really, really wanted to know what he’d missed that had turned Roche against Foltest, because  _ wow,  _ that was an impressive fuck up.

Amongst the laughter at Foltest’s misfortune, there was also a strain of delight. Because Roche had been a notable adversary when under Foltest’s thumb, but now? Now he might  _ really _ become a threat. 

  
Dijkstra cracked his knuckles, leaning back in his chair, still chortling. His ploy to undermine Philippa may have failed, but at least this new Free Pontar Valley would prove to be an  _ interesting _ opponent. 


End file.
